Early 1900 Swiss: Restored or Original???
 

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...=327574544#PIC

Look at the DWM on the toggle and the rear relieved frame areas that usually have the "milling marks".

The name of the company is "ARMSBLUE" at armsblue.com. Has anyone done business with them? I checked out their website. Do all of their guns show signs of refinishing?

Regards!

Clark

About 3 years ago, I bought a .32 ACP 1914 Mauser from Armsblue. Good transaction, no problems; however, bluing on the Mauser was not an issue, my Mauser appears original.

Gunny John

PS. Durn, that's purty!

It is hard to say. Many Swiss Lugers were refurbed by the Swiss as part of routine periodic maintenance. It could be a modern restoration but more likely an old Swiss refurbishment or it might be original. I might opt for a refurb for two reasons: 1) I seldom see the inset frame latch for the toggle lock that is that visible, it usually blends in with the side rail with only two very light lines; 2) A piece that early would have had an unrelieved frame...this one does not as evidenced by the standard magazines, so it could have been "freshened up" when the frame was retrofitted for the raised button magazine.
Nice looking piece and not out of the ordinary finish-wise for a Swiss.

P.S. Model 1900 Lugers are among the best finished production firearms. You have to look very close to see any milling marks at all, and often there are none.

Model 1900 Lugers are among the best finished production firearms. You have to look very close to see any milling marks at all, and often there are none.

I still have so much to learn from the Luger Jedi Master, and the other experts on the forum. Thanks, Ron!

I just had to pull my 1900AE out and look, after reading that... :rolleyes:

...And Ron's right, I can't find any obvious milling marks on it...And it has definitely not been refinished at any time in its life... :D

I guess it's repaired in the arsenal. Not a boosted one. 1900 is hard to come, and hard to go. Many sellers compete listing lower prices on the market. But it's hard to find a good one. If have a good one, need to wait one right buyer for it.

Ron,
Is the extractor on a 1900 usually strawed?

Yes. To expand on that short answer a bit, the extractor is really just a small flat spring with the necessary hook, lug and pin to perform its function. Being a spring it is tempered and strawed just like the ejector. Looks kinda cool too! :)

As an added note, I just re-read the ad and see that the breechblock is a mis-match. So although it is a very nice looking early gun, since the frame has been relieved and the gun is a mis-match the price is a bit too high. Certainly not just a shooter, but I would think a price of $3500-$4000 would be more reasonable (the magazines are easily worth $250 each and the holster another $150 or so).

There is so much to learn in this field tthat is unbelievable